# Keyboard and joystick mapping

Fast control matters in live environments. Keyboard and joystick mapping lets your team trigger the most important actions from the hardware layout that makes sense for a booth, operator desk, or compact production station.

## What it gives you

- Keep operators faster and more consistent under pressure.
- Map capture actions to the physical controls your team already prefers.
- Reduce friction in mobile, compact, or event-driven setups.

## Read more in the docs

- [Button Mapping](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/button-mapping): Per-device presets, live input testing, and action remapping for keyboards and gamepads.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Keyboard and joystick mapping

# Features overview

Virtual.ink is built for live light-painting capture, performance, booth workflows, and teaching.

## Core capture

- Real-time video light-painting with roughly 300 ms latency, depending on your system
- Live preview while you work
- Full-screen mode for clean public display
- Clean HDMI output while light-painting, even when not recording
- Up to 4K resolution, with the Basic license limited to 720p

## Controls and operation

- Control the app with a keyboard, Bluetooth presenter, or gamepad
- Multiple control modes and key-binding configurations
- Countdown support for timed starts
- Pause, resume, and reset exposure during capture

## Visual modes and effects

- Mirror modes including 2x, 4x, twisted butterfly, and 3x horizontal
- Automatic crossfade on reset, adjustable from 0 to 5 seconds
- Decay mode
- Slow down and speed up sliders
- Rewind and boomerang playback effects

## Saving and playback

- Internal photo and video saving
- Audio recording and speed control
- Image and video gallery
- Replay monitor that can loop the latest capture or the last five videos

## Sharing and network tools

- Photobooth-style sharing by email, with built-in email delivery
- Gallery and replay monitors accessible from other devices on the same local network through a browser in Pro and Pulse

## Post-processing add-ons

- Watermark
- Alpha transparency overlays in .MOV
- Blending-mode overlays in .MP4
- Color grading with LUTs
- Intro and outro video
- MP3 soundtrack support


Overview

# Light-painting effects

Effects are where the experience stops looking like raw camera capture and starts feeling like a designed visual product. Virtual.ink combines the live effect families that define how paint is isolated, moved, stylized, and presented in real time.

## What it gives you

- Create a recognisable visual signature without relying on external post-production.
- Adjust the live look fast enough for real event and studio operation.
- Deliver output that feels immersive, branded, and immediately shareable.

## What sits inside the effects bundle

In the current app, the effects bundle is not a single filter and not a simple on or off enhancement. It is a full live visual stack that controls how light is accumulated, how the frame is reshaped, how the background is separated from the paint, how the result is stylized, and how the final output is branded.

That includes Presets for reusable looks, Motion for trail lifetime and whole-canvas animation, Transform for symmetry and tiling, Drift for paint-aging and deformation, Look for color and post effects, Shine for source-based star and glow structures, Separation and Scene for foreground-versus-background treatment, and Watermark for branded overlays on eligible plans.

## How the live stack works in practice

At a practical level, Virtual.ink first decides what counts as paint, accumulates that light over time, and then lets the operator reshape, animate, and stylize it. Later stages can add symmetry, drift, source-aware shine, scene cleanup, color ramps, pixelation, edge glow, chromatic effects, vignette, and watermark treatment without leaving the live session.

That matters because the system is designed for live operation rather than offline editing. Operators can tune the look while the camera is running, switch between repeatable presets during a session, and move from a clean event look to a dense stylized look without rebuilding the workflow in another tool.

## Read more in the docs

- [Effects](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/effects): Full reference for Presets, Motion, Transform, Drift, Look, Shine, Separation, Scene, and Watermark.

## Good to know

- The pricing table treats the effect stack as one capability, but the app exposes multiple live effect families inside the experience.
- This buyer-facing page refers to the overall creative engine rather than every control inside the Effects panel.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Light-painting effects

# Recording duration

Recording length shapes the kind of experience you can run. Shorter clips keep lines moving at high-volume events, while longer sessions give performers, guests, and brand activations more room to build something memorable.

## What it gives you

- Tune the experience for throughput, creative freedom, or somewhere in between.
- Support both quick guest interactions and more elaborate performance-led sessions.
- Keep session length under control instead of relying on improvised timing.

## Read more in the docs

- [Live Setup](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/settings): Duration caps, countdown, cross-fade, reset-before-record, and related capture controls.

## Good to know

- Starter is limited to 8 seconds.
- Basic extends the limit to 30 seconds.
- Pro and Pulse rely on the practical limits of the host system rather than a fixed tier cap.

By plan: Starter 8 seconds | Basic 30 seconds | Pro System | Pulse System.

Recording duration

# Recording quality and ProRes 422 HQ output

Controls the codec and quality level used when recording the live capture to disk.

## Good to know

- All tiers include a recording quality selector with four presets: Efficient, Standard, High, and Maximum.
- Efficient uses a higher CRF for smaller files; Maximum uses a near-lossless CRF suited for archival.
- Pro and Pulse add an option to record in Apple ProRes 422 HQ (.mov), which is better suited for professional post-production workflows and editing in Premiere or DaVinci Resolve.
- ProRes files are significantly larger than H.264. A capture card that delivers uncompressed or low-compression input gives the best source quality regardless of the output format.

By plan: Starter Standard H.264 | Basic Standard H.264 | Pro H.264 + ProRes 422 HQ | Pulse H.264 + ProRes 422 HQ.

Recording quality and ProRes 422 HQ output

# Resolution

Resolution changes how premium the final result feels on phones, displays, downloads, and client deliverables. Virtual.ink lets studios start with an easy entry point and step up to 1080p or 4K production without changing the core creative workflow.

That means you can keep the same capture experience while matching the final output to the audience, the venue, and the commercial expectations of the job.

## What it gives you

- Match output quality to event budgets, sponsor expectations, and client standards.
- Keep one familiar workflow while moving from entry-level activations to premium installations.
- Deliver sharper files for social media, live displays, downloads, and archival use.

## Read more in the docs

- [Live Setup](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/settings): Tier-aware resolution limits, FPS controls, replay behavior, and capture setup.

## Good to know

- Starter is intentionally capped at 720p for entry-level use.
- Basic unlocks 1080p for polished paid production.
- Pro and Pulse unlock 4K for higher-end studio and brand work.

By plan: Starter 720p | Basic 1080p | Pro 4K | Pulse 4K.

Resolution

# Sound effects

Sound helps guests understand what is happening without constant operator coaching. Countdown cues, capture sounds, and completion feedback add clarity, rhythm, and anticipation to the live session.

## What it gives you

- Make the booth feel more polished and interactive.
- Reduce the amount of verbal guidance operators need to give during busy sessions.
- Support a more memorable guest experience through pacing and feedback.

## Read more in the docs

- [Sound](/products/virtualink/doc/sound/sound): Configure packs and cues for countdown, capture, processing, and success audio.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Sound effects

# Branding and video overlays

Branding controls turn finished media into client-ready deliverables. Instead of treating every output as a manual post-production job, you can add the assets and polish needed for a professional final result directly in the workflow.

## What it gives you

- Deliver branded media faster.
- Keep sponsor, campaign, or studio identity visible in the final asset.
- Reduce manual finishing work for repeatable outputs.

## Watermarks and branded frames

- Use a small PNG watermark as a classic logo bug in the lower-left, lower-center, or lower-right area of the final output.
- Use a full-frame branded overlay PNG prepared at the same aspect ratio as the final output when you want more than a logo, such as a complete sponsor frame or decorative branded border.
- Adjust watermark scale, opacity, and blend mode so the branding can stay subtle, bold, or stylistically merged into the footage.

## Intros, outros, soundtrack, and video overlays

- Prepend an MP4 or MOV intro when the video should open with sponsor, event, or studio branding before the capture begins.
- Append an outro clip when you want the final seconds to land on a logo, a call to action, or a campaign closing card.
- Add an MP3, WAV, or AAC soundtrack to turn the output into a more complete social or presentation asset.
- Layer a video overlay on top of the result when the brand treatment itself needs animated graphics instead of a static watermark.

## Built for repeatable render recipes

These controls live in the render pipeline, which means the operator does not need to rebuild every branded deliverable manually. Once a sponsor package or studio finish is defined, it can be saved as a recipe and reused on future captures.

That is especially useful when the same raw session needs several outputs, such as a clean version, a branded social cut, and a venue-ready playback version.

## Read more in the docs

- [Process](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/process): Recipe-based overlays, intros, outros, soundtracks, LUTs, and render automation.
- [Assets](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/assets): Manage reusable PNG overlays, intros, outros, LUTs, and soundtrack files.

Included in: Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Branding and video overlays

# Mashup layouts

Mashup layouts help you turn a single session into a more dynamic finished format. Split and stacked compositions add visual energy and give teams more ways to package the same capture for guests, brands, and social use.

## What it gives you

- Produce richer deliverables from the same capture session.
- Offer layouts that feel more custom and premium.
- Create outputs better suited for social, promo, and recap content.

## A strong fit for dual-camera storytelling

Mashups are one of the best ways to make dual-camera capture pay off. A common pattern is to show the behind-the-scenes camera on one side and the polished Virtual.ink result on the other, so viewers understand both the performance and the final image.

That same approach works for brand activations, workshops, and artist documentation, because it shows the making-of moment and the finished output in one shareable asset.

## Layouts for social and playback screens

- Use a 9:16 vertical composition for Stories, Reels, Shorts, and other social-first posting formats.
- Use a 16:9 horizontal composition for venue monitors, recap screens, websites, and standard playback displays.
- Choose top-and-bottom or side-by-side layouts depending on what should feel dominant in the frame.

## One capture can feed many final renders

The render module is recipe-based, so the operator can save and queue as many output variants as needed from the same capture. One recipe can create the social vertical mashup, another can create a horizontal venue version, and another can create a clean archive export.

That makes mashups practical as part of a wider delivery package instead of a one-off manual edit.

## Read more in the docs

- [Process](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/process): Render recipes, framing, format, and compositing steps for alternate output layouts.

Included in: Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Mashup layouts

# Video editor recipes

Recipes make rendering repeatable. Once you have a format that works for a campaign, venue, or client, you can save it and run it again instead of rebuilding the output chain from scratch.

## What it gives you

- Standardize output across operators and events.
- Reduce setup time for recurring deliverables.
- Make branded production more reliable at scale.

## Read more in the docs

- [Process](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/process): Saved rendering recipes with source/output settings, pipeline steps, and auto-run behavior.

Included in: Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Video editor recipes

# Media library

After capture, the value of the system depends on how quickly your team can find, review, and reuse the best results. The media library keeps sessions organized so operators are not digging through folders while guests or clients are waiting.

## What it gives you

- Review more sessions quickly during events and production days.
- Find strong captures faster when clients, guests, or staff need quick decisions.
- Keep datasets ready for follow-up sharing, rendering, and archive workflows.

## What operators can customize with UI presets

- Choose how many columns appear in the grid so the library can behave more like a wall of thumbnails or a slower-paced review board.
- Switch the ordering between newest-first and oldest-first depending on whether the operator is reviewing the latest capture or walking through an archive.
- Apply star-based filters so teams can focus on rated favourites instead of scanning every dataset.

## Why that matters in real operation

Those preset choices are useful because the same media library can serve different jobs. One preset can be tuned for a fast event operator who wants the newest captures at the top. Another can be tuned for client review, where a narrower grid and filtering make selection easier.

Preset links can also be shared to reopen the library in a known configuration, which helps when review stations or browser-based support views need a consistent layout.

## Read more in the docs

- [Library](/products/virtualink/doc/media/library): Gallery browsing, detail review, selection mode, and preset-driven library settings.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Media library

# Playback player

Playback turns the finished result into a reveal moment. It gives guests and clients a clean way to see what was just created, without forcing the operator to leave the production flow or hunt for files.

## What it gives you

- Create a stronger payoff right after capture.
- Let guests and clients review the result without touching the file system.
- Support presentation, slideshow, and replay workflows inside the app.

## What can be customized

- Mute on playback when the player is driving a silent reveal screen or a venue monitor that should not add extra audio.
- Choose slideshow behaviour, including no slideshow, all captures, the last 5, the last 10, or random playback.
- Apply star-based filters so the player can focus on rated favourites instead of every dataset.
- Switch between contain and cover display modes depending on whether preserving the full frame or filling the screen matters more.

## Preset-friendly playback stations

Because playback settings live in UI presets, the same Virtual.ink system can expose different replay experiences for different screens. One preset can behave like a looping guest reveal. Another can act more like a curated client-review player.

Preset links also make it practical to reopen the player in a known mode from a browser-based page or a dedicated secondary display workflow.

## Read more in the docs

- [Player](/products/virtualink/doc/media/player): Playable dataset review, slideshow behavior, and player settings.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Playback player

# Cloud uploads per month

Cloud upload allowance is the backbone of hosted sharing. It controls how much media you can push through cloud-backed delivery workflows each month when guests need access beyond the local machine.

## What it gives you

- Support hosted delivery without building your own file pipeline.
- Choose a plan that fits your event volume and campaign scope.
- Keep guest access simple even when output needs to travel beyond the capture computer.

By plan: Starter 20 | Basic 200 | Pro 500 | Pulse 1,000.

Cloud uploads per month

# Combined media sharing

Some sessions produce more than one deliverable. Combined media sharing turns those separate assets into one handoff so the guest experience feels deliberate instead of fragmented.

## What it gives you

- Present the experience as one polished deliverable.
- Reduce confusion when a session produces multiple files.
- Simplify handoff for both guests and operators.

## Read more in the docs

- [Share](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/share): Batch and guest delivery flows across QR, email, print, and download actions.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Combined media sharing

# Email template customization

The delivery email is part of the customer-facing experience. Template customization helps studios, agencies, and brand activations send something that feels aligned with the event or the business instead of looking like a generic system message.

## What it gives you

- Keep guest delivery visually aligned with your brand.
- Add polish and professionalism to every outbound message.
- Turn routine delivery into a stronger brand touchpoint.

## Read more in the docs

- [Share Settings](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/share-settings): Email subject, body, branding, terms, and live template preview.

Included in: Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Email template customization

# Emails per month

Email remains one of the most practical delivery channels for events and studio work. The monthly allowance determines how many guest or client handoffs you can send through Virtual.ink's included email-delivery service before you need a higher plan.

## What it gives you

- Scale inbox delivery with predictable monthly capacity.
- Keep email as a first-class handoff channel instead of an afterthought.
- Choose the plan that matches your real traffic level.

## Good to know

- This row refers to the included email sending service bundled with Virtual.ink share workflows.
- It does not require a separate mail-service setup just to use the included monthly allowance.

By plan: Starter 100 | Basic 400 | Pro 1,000 | Pulse 3,000.

Emails per month

# Offline email queue sharing

Offline email queueing prevents temporary network issues from breaking your workflow. Instead of losing delivery attempts in the moment, the system can stage them and send them once connectivity comes back.

## What it gives you

- Keep capture sessions moving when connectivity drops.
- Avoid missed guest deliveries caused by short outages.
- Recover gracefully without rebuilding the workflow by hand.

## Read more in the docs

- [Share Settings](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/share-settings): Email queue monitoring, retry status, and delivery logs during busy sessions.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Offline email queue sharing

# Offline QR code sharing

Offline QR sharing protects the guest handoff from bad venue connectivity. It is built for temporary installs, pop-ups, trade shows, and event spaces where internet access cannot be treated as guaranteed.

## What it gives you

- Keep local delivery available when the internet is weak or missing.
- Reduce operational risk in unpredictable event environments.
- Preserve the convenience of QR handoff without depending on cloud relay.

## Read more in the docs

- [Share](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/share): Online versus offline QR flows, including the two-step local QR path.
- [Share Settings](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/share-settings): Offline QR toggles, hotspot behavior, QR placement, and sharing rules.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Offline QR code sharing

# QR code sharing

QR sharing gives guests the fastest path from capture to their own device. Instead of slowing the line with typing and handoff steps, they scan once and continue the experience on their phone.

## What it gives you

- Reduce friction at the handoff moment.
- Speed up guest flow in busy event environments.
- Offer a delivery method that feels familiar and low effort.

## Read more in the docs

- [Share](/products/virtualink/doc/delivery/share): QR delivery modes, share actions, and guest-facing handoff flows.

Included in: Starter, Basic, Pro, Pulse.

QR code sharing

# Backup

Backup adds operational confidence. When output matters, automatic secondary copies can be the difference between a smooth event and a preventable loss.

## What it gives you

- Protect valuable captures with less manual effort.
- Reduce risk during high-volume or high-stakes events.
- Build a more reliable workflow for paid production environments.

Included in: Pro, Pulse.

Backup

# Browser-based device pages

Browser-based device pages extend Virtual.ink beyond the main machine. They make it easier to run remote triggers, operator stations, or guest-facing controls without forcing every interaction onto one screen.

## What it gives you

- Add flexibility to the physical setup.
- Support remote or distributed operator workflows.
- Use the same system in both compact booths and larger studio environments.

## Read more in the docs

- [Control Room](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/control-room): Browser-based live settings available in Pro and Pulse, with local-network access rules.
- [Remote Control](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/remote-control): Browser-accessible trigger controls for recording, reset, painting, hide UI, and fullscreen.

## Good to know

- Basic keeps browser access on the licensed computer only.
- Pro and Pulse extend that access to other devices on the local network.

Included in: Pro, Pulse.

Browser-based device pages

# Dual camera

Dual camera opens the door to more advanced productions. It is built for teams that want more flexibility than a single viewpoint can provide, whether the goal is richer capture, more coverage, or a more premium finished result.

## What it gives you

- Expand what the system can capture in one session.
- Support more advanced studio and premium event workflows.
- Give higher-end productions more creative and operational flexibility.

## Behind-the-scenes plus final output

A second camera is especially useful when one view is dedicated to the performer, booth, or audience while the other view focuses on the core Virtual.ink output. That gives you a clean behind-the-scenes angle that can later be combined with the final result.

In practice, this is one of the strongest inputs for the render module, because the extra angle can be turned into a mashup that shows both the making-of moment and the finished art piece.

## Why it matters commercially

- Turn one capture session into more than one story angle.
- Produce recap-ready content without needing a separate camera crew workflow.
- Give brand clients and social teams a richer asset package from the same performance.

## Read more in the docs

- [Live Setup](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/settings): Camera 2 setup, BTS versus Ambient modes, and second-camera save behavior.
- [Live View](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/live-view): How Camera 2 appears in picture-in-picture during live operation.

Included in: Pro, Pulse.

Dual camera

# Full screen and hide controls

A cleaner screen changes how polished the experience feels. Full-screen and hidden-control modes help you show only what guests should see while keeping operator interface noise out of the presentation.

## What it gives you

- Create a more premium guest-facing presentation.
- Reduce visual clutter in kiosks, booths, and installations.
- Separate public display from operator control more cleanly.

## Read more in the docs

- [Remote Control](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/remote-control): Hide UI and fullscreen actions on desktop, dashboard tiles, and eligible browser sessions.

Included in: Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Full screen and hide controls

# Naming

Naming becomes more important as volume grows. Structured naming rules help teams keep sessions readable, searchable, and easier to hand into downstream workflows without manual cleanup.

## What it gives you

- Keep datasets and exports more readable at scale.
- Reduce cleanup work after busy events and production days.
- Fit more smoothly into client, archive, and automation workflows.

Included in: Pro, Pulse.

Naming

# Second-display monitor mode

Send eligible dashboard tiles to a connected HDMI monitor from the dashboard monitor icon.

## Read more in the docs

- [Remote Control](/products/virtualink/doc/real-time-light-painting/remote-control): Hide UI, go fullscreen, and run guest-facing tiles on a connected second display from the dashboard monitor icon.

Included in: Basic, Pro, Pulse.

Second-display monitor mode

# License types

Virtual.ink is sold as four licence types so studios can match the software to their actual operating model. Some teams need an accessible entry point. Others need stronger output control, more operational flexibility, or a closer relationship with the product team.

This overview is the quick read: what each licence type is for, how the progression works, and where Pulse becomes the right fit.

## Licence types at a glance

- Starter: a free one-year entry tier for testing, demos, learning, and light-volume use.
- Basic: the first paid production tier, with higher resolution, render-and-branding tools, and second-display workflows on the licensed machine.
- Pro: the higher-end studio tier, with dual-camera, naming, backup, and browser device pages across the local network for broader operation.
- Pulse: the relationship tier for teams that want the full commercial toolset plus direct collaboration, earlier feedback loops, and stronger roadmap visibility.

## How the licence types progress

- Starter gets you into Virtual.ink with the intentionally limited free tier.
- Basic adds the first paid production features, including branded rendering and second-display operation on the licensed machine.
- Pro adds the more advanced operational layer, including dual-camera, naming, backup, and browser device pages across the local network.
- Pulse keeps the production depth of the top tier and adds the partnership layer for studios that want a closer relationship with Xangle.

## Why studios choose Pulse

- Direct async access to the development team instead of documentation-only support.
- Priority beta access when relevant pre-release features are ready for controlled use.
- Earlier consideration during roadmap review when tradeoffs and priorities are being discussed.
- The longest offline operating window in the current public plan lineup.

## Good to know

- Pulse is not positioned as a guarantee that every request will ship.
- The difference is earlier review, closer communication, and a stronger working relationship when priorities are being discussed.

Virtual.ink

Create and capture

Keyboard and joystick mapping

Keyboard and joystick mapping

What it gives you

Read more in the docs